Maple Grove police squad car. (FOX 9)
MAPLE GROVE, Minn. (FOX 9) - A 29-year-old registered sex offender from Oregon is accused of posing as a 17-year-old homeless student in an attempt to enroll at Maple Grove High School.
Sex offender accused of posing as teen student
The backstory:
Makayla Ray Craig, 29, is facing three felony charges related to forgery, including two counts of aggravated forgery.
According to the criminal complaint, a staff member at Maple Grove High School contacted police on Oct. 19 with concerns about someone attempting to enroll at the school.
Craig allegedly submitted enrollment paperwork under the name Molly Lennox Fox, claiming to be a homeless 17-year-old from Oregon with no identification documents.
The complaint states that Craig attempted to enroll under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, which provides educational protections for homeless students. While Craig allegedly insisted on immediate enrollment at the high school, the 29-year-old was enrolled in an online program because of the lack of identification.
What is the McKinney-Vento Act?
Dig deeper:
Under the federal McKinney-Vento Act, schools are required to immediately enroll students seeking homeless education protections, even if they lack documentation, while officials work to verify their eligibility.
Earlier this year, a 22-year-old was charged with forgery for allegedly enrolling at White Bear Lake Area High School while posing as a 17-year-old student.
In that case, the suspect was allegedly enrolled as an unaccompanied minor, and reportedly attended the school for 19 days.
Craig wanted 'full experience' of high school
What they're saying:
During an interview with investigators, Craig allegedly continued identifying as 17-year-old Molly Fox. Craig claimed to have never gone to high school and wanted to attend in person to "get the full experience," according to the complaint.
Before meeting with school staff, Craig reportedly warned them about looking older than 17 so they wouldn't be concerned when they met, charges allege.
Previous conviction:
During the interview, Craig also expressed concern about being mistaken for Makayla Ray Craig, a registered sex offender in Oregon, according to the complaint.
Court documents state that Craig was convicted of an offense in Oregon in May 2023, and the victim appeared to have been a minor. Craig was required to register as a sex offender, and has been out of compliance for the past year.
What's next:
Craig remains in custody at the Hennepin County Jail and is scheduled to appear in court Friday afternoon.
The Source: This story uses information from court documents and previous FOX 9 reporting.